Projectiles for use as conventional ammunition are generally known and widely used. A sabot may be used with the projectile, which is common in hunting. A sabot is commonly used when the projectile (or ammunition) is smaller than the bore of the firearm. The sabot allows firing projectiles smaller than the bore of the firearm while maintaining range and overall performance of other types of ammunition. Typically, the projectile is inserted into the sabot and together the projectile and sabot is forced downward into the bore of the firearm, such as a muzzleloading firearm. The interaction of the projectile and the sabot results in the sabot frictionally contacting the contours of the bore as the projectile and sabot are loaded and forced into the firearm. Overcoming the friction between the sabot and the bore of the firearm requires additional force that is undesirable to a user of the firearm. Therefore, it is desirable for a projectile that may reduce the friction between the sabot and the bore of the firearm.
It is also a desirable to improve the properties exhibited by the projectile, such as ability to expand, air resistance, accuracy, and the like. In use for hunting, for example, it is typically desirable for the projectile to expand to maximize penetration and damage to the target. However, one deficiency with known ammunition is that there is neither enough projectile expansion nor sufficient penetration upon impacting the target. The impact of known projectiles when used in hunting, for example, results in a potentially slow and inhumane game harvesting.
Prior ammunition is made of lead to enhance its deformability. However, lead penetration into game presents a potential health risk due to the toxicity of lead. Therefore, the present invention seeks to address these and other limitations and to provide an improved projectile.